TheSamba.com :: View topic - '63 Bus driver's side e-brake doesn't apply

Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:57 am

It's a big-nut tranny.

I tightened the cable all the way and it still didn't do anything so I took it apart to check it out. Good timing too because the axle nut was barely more than finger tight.

I think someone put the wrong e-brake plate in there?

The ebrake is on in these pictures, if I remember correctly.

Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:12 am

does it rest all snug-like when the E-brake is off?
is the flat clip in place for the spring on the cable?

Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:15 am

Could the end piece be broken off? Can't quite tell from the picture. That happened on my '65. Found a few bits in the drum when I took it off.

Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:55 am

No, the arm is not snug when the e-brake is off.
The clip is there, you can partially see it on the left in the photos.

Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:15 am

EverettB wrote: No, the arm is not snug when the e-brake is off.
The clip is there, you can partially see it on the left in the photos.
no, the clip on the E-brake cable. it is behind the brake shoe, where the cable comes through the backing plate.

Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:29 am

I was thinking the end of the plate might be broken. That is what happened to me.

Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:35 pm

Unless the spotwelded cable housing guide on the outside of the brake plate has been removed and the hole enlarged and a clip installed so the earlier style emergency cable could be used, there is no clip.
If it is a pre-1963 bus body, it would have the shorter cable and the different stop where it fits in the brake plate, having been adapted.
Earlier this year, I modified six 1964-1967 brake plates like someone had done to the ones on my 1957 bus (later RGBs) when I bought it years ago. It was pretty easy to do.

Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:41 pm

The passenger side e-brake does work, though? Then take off the passenger side drum and compare the two. See what's different about them. If you can find the difference, then you have your answer.

Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:53 pm

EverettB wrote:

The ebrake is on in these pictures, if I remember correctly.

I don't like the way the shoe is sitting in the wheel cylinder on the right hand side. Like maybe it's not setting into the groove.
i dunno that it would make the ebrake not work, but I just don't like it.

Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:04 am

yes, I would check to make sure that shoe is properly seated on the slave cylinder

Sat Oct 15, 2005 7:11 am

Adjusting your brakes makes a big difference in the performance of your eBrake. I noticed your adjusting stars are all the way in. Don't know that that is your issue, but it would certainly keep the brake from working unless you have some really meaty drums to have the stars in all the way :)

Sat Oct 15, 2005 7:15 am

EverettB wrote:
I think someone put the wrong e-brake plate in there?

The ebrake is on in these pictures, if I remember correctly.

The gap is there as circled in the other photo because if the ebrake is on there is no drum to provide an opposing force to the shoes, so with the brake on and the drum off the cable is pulling the lever, which is forcing the shoe away from the cross bar.

Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:10 pm

I didn't notice it but rustybus is right: the adjusters are all of the way in. The brake shoe lining looks a little thin and if the drum were ever turned, I could see why the shoes would not be pressed against the drum when the lever was pulled back.

Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:18 pm

Lind wrote: EverettB wrote: No, the arm is not snug when the e-brake is off.
The clip is there, you can partially see it on the left in the photos.
no, the clip on the E-brake cable. it is behind the brake shoe, where the cable comes through the backing plate.
It appears something was missing from the driver's side:

The shoes were adjusted correctly, although I did back them off a little to remove the drum.

As Clara mentioned, I also noticed that the rear shoe looked like it wasn't seated all the way at the bottom. It was seated but the pistons on the wheel cylinder were really far out. I'm not sure how this could happen. I pushed them back in, readjusted the shoes, and added a washer to the e-brake spring and everything is fine now.

I noticed a lot of brake dust on the driver's side drum so I'm going to swap out the rubber hoses. The previous owner redid all the brakes but not the hoses. The rears look brand new but who knows...

Sat Oct 15, 2005 10:19 pm

Installed new rear hoses and all is good. Both had no cracks but both were collapsed internally.

On the e-brake lines, what sort of clip was used? I don't see anything in the parts book. The passenger side has a horseshoe clip on there, the same clip used to hold the e-brake pivot arm on.

Sat Oct 15, 2005 11:03 pm

EverettB wrote: Installed new rear hoses and all is good. Both had no cracks but both were collapsed internally.

On the e-brake lines, what sort of clip was used? I don't see anything in the parts book. The passenger side has a horseshoe clip on there, the same clip used to hold the e-brake pivot arm on.
it is just a flat piece of metal with a slot and hole. like is on the other side. you can make one out of any thin sheet metal. I usually use old license plates to make them. junk engine tin also works. once it is attached, the spring holds it in place and there is nowhere for it to go.

Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:59 am

Lind wrote: EverettB wrote: Installed new rear hoses and all is good. Both had no cracks but both were collapsed internally.

On the e-brake lines, what sort of clip was used? I don't see anything in the parts book. The passenger side has a horseshoe clip on there, the same clip used to hold the e-brake pivot arm on.
it is just a flat piece of metal with a slot and hole. like is on the other side. you can make one out of any thin sheet metal. I usually use old license plates to make them. junk engine tin also works. once it is attached, the spring holds it in place and there is nowhere for it to go.
those pieces are often missing. I am not sure that they do anything, becaue buses with them missing still have ebrakes. They are fun to install too.

that clip was used on the later buses that don't have the piece that bolts to the inside of the backing plate. Which reminds me that the brake cables on my 54 truck are all farking hoopty. I'm not even showing pictures.

Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:39 am

Yes, I don't think the missing e-brake clip really preventing it from working.

It looks like the clip would keep the cables tighter against the axle seal cover plate since the spring is compressed.

I used a washer that I clipped a small piece out of so it now has more of a "C" shape.

Sun Oct 16, 2005 1:21 pm

this 63' bus wouldn't happend to be a mouse grey bus? if so I want to see pictures

__of everything___

Mon Jul 23, 2012 8:34 am

here's another pic of that emergency brake cable clip